NATURAL REMEDIES FOR WINTER IMMUNITY AND BEYOND

Every year at about this time I start talking about winter illness and how you can avoid the endless rounds of pharmaceutical medicines by using therapeutic plant oils instead, to boost natural immunity and ease the symptoms of colds and flu.

Pure essential oils can bring:

• Anti-oxidants that protect and enhance immune health
• Detoxifying effect for greater immune efficiency
• Vitamins and nutrients to nourish cell health and innate immune functions
• Stimulating qualities to aid healthy immune-essential circulation
• Anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties
• Decongestant powers to maximise respiratory efficiency
• Anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, analgesic qualities to help relieve winter-ill symptoms
• Uplifting, comforting qualities to help ease the winter blues

So, here we are again. But this time I want to take the opportunity to talk about the importance of natural immune support in more general terms.

While the winter months are indeed famous for bringing the dreaded viral infections that can so quickly reduce us to sniffing and sneezing misery, the power that pure therapeutic plant oils have to enhance our immune health is something that can serve us significantly the whole year round.

Why immune health has become much more than a winter concern

It is obvious of course: without a good strong immune system, nobody is going to stay healthy for very long.

This is why more progressive doctors have been talking about something called functional medicine that looks at widening the focus of diagnostic medicine to also address the deficiencies in diet and lifestyle that lie behind the development of disease.

What emerges from this approach is a growing clarity on how accumulated stress and toxicity are generating disease by destroying our natural capacity to defend, rejuvenate and cleanse ourselves at a molecular level.

Of the many health issues that are seen to be related, some of the major conditions we are seeing on the rise around the world include:

• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Heart disease
• Cancer
• Chronic infection
• Autoimmune disease
• Diabetes
• Alzheimers
• Parkinsons
• Arthritis
• Kidney and liver disease
• Autism

The key to sustainable health

Pure organic plant oils are the key to sustainable health because they support strong natural immunity.

Significantly, experimental treatments that include supporting immune related processes through such things as diet, cellular nutrient repletion, gut repair, enhancement of liver detoxification, supplementation of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and antioxidants, are claiming remarkable achievements in chronic disease management.

And these are all areas that we are able to impact on using therapeutic plant oils.

The pioneer and current authority on functional medicine, Dr. Mark Hyman MD. also talks about the important role of organic phytonutrients in plants.

Pure plant molecules have the capacity to influence our health so profoundly because...

• we are omnivores and plant molecules already form an integral part of healthy human physiology
• pure extracts from organic plants are contaminant free and contain powerful, efficient molecular defenses, evolved from centuries of natural survival.

While Hyman is essentially referring to organic food in relation to a vital, healing diet, therapeutic plant oils can take us a step further.

Medicinal quality, raw, organic vegetable and nut oils, that we also use as carrier oils for massage and body blends, can offer a high-quality dietary supplement to improve cellular nutrient repletion, and levels for vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and antioxidants.

And in the case of essential oils, we are talking about highly concentrated pure plant essences that have ten times the potential to deliver active molecular compounds to body systems than ingested plant material.

Core essential oil choices for winter immune health and beyond

Lemon (cert organic) Citrus limonum

Vitamins, anti-viral, anti-oxidants, powerful anti-germ cleansing; stimulating, uplifting.

Drink: 1 drop (d) in water to fortify and cleanse. Or 1d in hot water and honey for cold relief.
Diffuse: 5d to uplift and kill airborne bugs.
Wash: 1-2d on soapy loofa to lift energy.

Eucalyptus Blue Gum (cert organic) Eucalyptus globulus

Anti-oxidant, anti-germ, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, soothing, decongestant, expectorant, cleansing.

Inhale: 1-2d on cloth to deepen respiration and fortify defenses. 3-5d - or combine 2d with 2d Thyme, 1d Lavender - in hot water for congestion.
Diffuse: 5-10d - or combine2-3d with 2-3d Lavender, 1-2d Kanuka and 1-2d Thyme - for therapeutic respiratory and immune support.
Chest Rub: 3-5d - or combine 1-2d with 1d Lavender, 1 Kanuka, 1 Thyme - in 1tsp carrier oil.

Lavender Spike (cert organic) Lavandula latifolia

Relaxing, anti-germ, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory.

Bath: 3-5d for breathing and muscle relaxation.
Chest Rub: 3-5d - or combine as above - in 1tsp carrier oil.
Diffuse: 5-10d or combine as above.
Inhale: 1-2d on a cloth to deepen respiration and aid relaxation. 3-5d - or combine as above - in hot water for congestion.

Kanuka (cert organic) Leptospermum ericoides

Anti-oxidant, anti-viral, anti-germ, anti-inflammatory, cleansing, fortifying.

Diffuse: 5-10d or combine as above.
Chest Rub: 3-5d - or combine as above - in 1tsp carrier oil.

Thyme Thymol (cert organic) Thymus vulgaris CT thymol

Anti-oxidant, anti-viral, anti-germ, anti-inflammatory, calming, uplifting.

Inhale: 1-3d - or combine as above - in hot water for congestion.
Bath: 8d with 1 cup epsom salts.
Diffuse: 8d - or combine with 10d Eucalyptus - to purify air and kill airborne germs.
Chest Rub: 3-5d - or combine as above - in 1tsp carrier oil.

Immune Plus and Child Immune Plus are two Absolute Essential pure organic synergies designed to bring the most effective combination of pure essential oils together for the convenience of maximum immune protection.

Staying healthy, recovering fast… pure plant oils for life

If the winter weather prompts you to use essential oils to help make you stronger and fitter against seasonal respiratory ills, consider the experience to be just the beginning of a revolutionary natural remedy for modern living - therapeutic plant oils for year round health insurance.

Here are a few of our past posts that contain recipes and information for boosting immunity, cleansing the body and supporting healthy digestion. Stay tuned for more…

• Are there natural remedies for gluten intolerance and celiac disease?
• The powerful natural remedies of pure, raw argan oil
• Pure essential oils for travelling without diarrhoea